K.D. Meucci is a fourth-grade teacher at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Pennsylvania. She loves her job and thoroughly enjoys getting to connect with her students — so much so that she even reads to them outside of school. It’s clear that she is a well-loved and respected teacher based on the fact that her students still engage with her content outside of the classroom and look forward to getting to learn more every day.
While it’s common for teachers to want to encourage students to learn as much as possible and engage with something that will stimulate their minds, it was evident that Meucci was constantly going above and beyond. She created a private Facebook group called Franklin Bedtime Stories, where she reads bedtime stories to her students, allowing her to deepen her bond with her students and continue helping them to learn in a fun way.
In October 2021, Meucci learned that she had a brain tumor. In order to remove the mass, the teacher underwent brain surgery. Everything went well and she quickly began her recovery process. However, Meucci still wanted to connect with her students and partake in their weekly reading, something that they looked forward to and something that she promised to do.
Just one day after surgery, Meucci appeared on the usual stream to read to her students. This time was a bit different, though, as she did it from her hospital bed. Meucci may have looked slightly different and was in a setting different than usual, but her passion was just as strong as ever.
Meucci underwent brain surgery to remove a brain tumor mass that is believed to be “probably benign,” according to The Denver Channel. Doctors believe that they were able to get the entire tumor out, and Meucci was able to start her recovery process.
While she was in recovery, Meucci still showed just how much she truly cares for her students. Just one day after her surgery, she decided to return to doing what she loves most: reading to her students.
According to The Denver Channel, the teacher did not let being in a hospital stop her from pursuing her passion, and she used Facebook Live to communicate with her students in a closed Facebook group called Franklin Bedtime Stories. Through that, Meucci has been able to read bedtime stories to her students every Thursday night, according to Inside Edition.
When she signed on to read to her students one night in particular, she pointed out her new background as she was in the hospital, lying in her hospital bed. The teacher explained the situation to her students. “Sorry if I look a little weird, I know I look a little weird,” she said. “I got this black eye right here because again they cut open my head right here to take out my brain tumor.”
However, she assured them she would be back in the classroom as soon as she could. “Most importantly I wanted to see you, to see that I’m OK,” Meucci said. “I look a little funky, but I wanted you to see and know that I’m OK.”
What do you think about this teacher’s actions in continuing to read to her students while in recovery? Let us know in the comments.